From Luuk.van.Dijk@xs4all.nl  Wed Apr 18 18:47:32 2001
From: Luuk.van.Dijk@xs4all.nl (Luuk van Dijk)
Date: Wed, 18 Apr 2001 19:47:32 +0200
Subject: [Patents] Dutch EPO branch on strike today
Message-ID: <20010418194732.A575@wonder>

Read in the economics section of NRC Handelsblad 
(a leading dutch newspaper), today apr 18, page 17, col 8

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Strike at patent office
-----------------------
Rijswijk, april 18.  Work at the European Patent
Office (EPO) in Rijswijk was largely suspended today.
Almost half of 2400 staff went on strike for the 
second time within a week.  Most important concerns
of the strikers are the high workload and the low pay.
Because of the relative low starting salaries, the Patent
Office can hardly find new staff.  The organising union,
the Union of the European Patent Office warns new strikes
will be held if management does not want to open negotiations
with the strikers.
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(My translation, so the usual apologies apply)

In lobbying terms, this short newsitem does not only help
parties against swpats, but also parties (like the EISA)
who just think that EPO should just get more funds.

While we're at it, I'm looking for more undisputable
evidence that EPO is not up to it's job. Pointers are welcome
(Undisputable in the sense that it is not even disputable by people
who hold that using a database with a website, or clicking
twice on something to buy it is a) technical and b) non-
trivial, so evidence /apart/ from the swpat horror gallery,
something perhaps along the lines of Greg's analysis of the USPTO
granting practices)

Regards,
	Luuk van Dijk
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